BMW And Geely Clash In Heated Trademark Battle

Geely’s newest electric SUV, the EX5, may be facing a name change not long after arriving in Australia, thanks to a legal challenge from BMW.

The mid-size EV is already on sale, but a trademark dispute is now threatening its future branding. The issue? BMW believes ‘Geely EX5’ sounds a little too close to its iconic X5 SUV nameplate.

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BMW Objects: ‘Too Close for Comfort’

The dispute began quietly late last year. Here’s a timeline of how it unfolded:

December 17, 2024: IP Australia officially publishes the acceptance of Geely’s ‘Geely EX5’ trademark.
February 17, 2025: BMW files a notice of intention to oppose the trademark.
July 29, 2025: BMW’s deadline to submit full evidence in support of its opposition.

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A spokesperson for BMW Group Australia said the company is defending the reputation of its premium vehicles, stating:

“BMW Group protects its well-established reputation in its premium products which are highly regarded and valued by consumers.”

For now, BMW says it’s weighing its legal options and won’t comment further on the process.

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Geely and BMW Keeping Quiet

Both companies are keeping the legal details under wraps for now. BMW says it’s aware of the application and is “considering options,” but declined to comment further. Geely Auto Australia also confirmed it’s aware of the opposition but won’t make any additional statements while the legal process is ongoing.

“As this is a legal matter, we will not be making any further comments at this stage,” Geely spokesperson said.

A Second Attempt? Trademark Filed for Just ‘EX5’

Interestingly, Geely may have anticipated trouble.

On December 23, 2024, the company filed a separate application to trademark the name ‘EX5’, without the “Geely” branding. That filing was officially published on May 24, 2025, and hasn’t been opposed—at least not yet.

Geely has also filed trademarks for:

Geely EX2
Geely EX3

This could raise further concerns from BMW, which already uses X2, iX2, X3, and iX3 across its SUV range.

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The Car Behind the Controversy

The Geely EX5 is based on the E5 sold in China, part of the carmaker’s Galaxy sub-brand. While the Galaxy name isn’t used in Australia, some of its models are making their way here:

EX5 – mid-size electric SUV, currently on sale
L7 – electric SUV also sold under the Galaxy banner
Starship 7 EM-i – a plug-in hybrid recently spotted testing on local roads

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Déjà Vu for the EV Industry

Geely’s legal wrangling isn’t unique. Other Chinese brands have run into similar trademark challenges:

Audi vs. Nio (2023)

Nio filed for ES6, ES7, and ES8 trademarks.
Audi objected, arguing they were too close to its S6, S7, and S8 models.
The outcome? Audi lost the case, but Nio hasn’t yet entered the Australian market.

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MG and Audi Nameplate Overlap

MG’s MGS5 EV is already on sale.
The MGS6 EV is due in 2026.
Audi sells both the S5 and S6, but hasn’t commented publicly on MG’s similar-sounding names.

Geely’s trademark battle may not affect the vehicle’s presence in showrooms for now. But if BMW’s objection succeeds, the EX5 might end up with a different name on Aussie roads.